Knockdown box.



C. G. MBNGBL. KNOGKDOWN 30X. APPLIdATION Hi2 AUG. a1, 190a Patented July 6, 1909.

uwntoz UNITED sfrnras n trnur are n/ llli CHARLES C. MENGEL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUUKY, ASSIGNOR TO MltN'lilll. BOX (,UllllNY. OF LOUISVILLE, KENIITCKY, A (lOHPORn'lION Ol NEW JERSE 1".

xnocxnown Box.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed. August 31, 1908. Serial No. 450,995.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. MENGEL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to knock down boxes, crates or receptacles, and the novelty resides primarily in the construction of strengthening cleats employed at or near the ends of the boards forming the top, bottom, and sides of the ieceptacle.

The present invention-is one of a series, closely related, all of which are designed to permit the utilization of veneer board or compound lumber, which combines strength and lightness, and effects a great diminution in the aggregate amount of lumber required for the production of a given number of boxes or receptacles hence tends to the conservation of the timber supply. To give such boxes, crates, and receptacles the requisite strength and rigidity, and particularly to protect them against crushing strains, splitting, ctc., it is found desirable to apply cleats to the boards forming the top, bottom and sides, and it is further found important to construct these cleats in such manner that they shall properly aline themselves and maintain their alinenient when the top, bottom and side boards are brought to assembled position, ready for use as a receptacle. In all other respects the box may be of any desired construction of the general knock down typc,that is to say, the n'ianncr of connecting and securing the boards one to another, the character of the boards, and other details may vary as desired, the present invention being concerned mainly with the construe tion of the cleats above noted.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body of the box in a partially folded condition, indicating its capacity to be laid out in one common plane, or folded into rectangular or box form at will; Fig. 2, a perspective view showing the some con ilctely folded, and also showing portions of the heads or ends, the remainder being broken away better to show the body of the box; and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the 1niter-joint, mort se and tenon of two adjoining cleat sections.

outer faces of the boards, said wires serving the double purpose of connecting the boards and of binding and strengthening the structure when assembled ori'olded into box form.

The proximate, edges of the boards are chanil'ered or beveled at an. angle of 45,.

where a rectangular box is to be formed, here indicated, but of course the structure inay have any desirerl number of sides from three upward, and the angle of the bevel will vary accordingly. F indicates a cleat, of which there are two, secured in any con venient way to the inner face of each of the boards A, B, D, one at or near each end. Both ends of'each cleat are beveled. or chainfered to the sande angle as the edges of the board to which the cleat is secured, the bevel of the cleat' and of the board being in common plane and forming one a continuation of the other.

The cleats are preferably formed of three ply veneer board or compound lumber; though this is not essential, a solid cleat being to a certain extent the equivalent of a compound one, though not possessing all of its advantages. Each cleat is provided with amortisc a at one end, and with a tongue or tenon b at the other end. These can be made with e:.:uliar facility in the case of compound lumber by employing a middle layer of a length less than that of the cleat by an amount equal to its width, both ends of said middle layer being left of rectangular or unbcvclcd form and one end being placed. 95

forms the tenon, and the open or unoccupied 100 space at the opposite end constitutes the mortise. No cutting, fitting or matching is required, provided the parts be cut in the first instance to standard measurements.

Obviously, however, the mortise and tenon 105 can be formed by cutting away the superfluous wood after the cleat is built up. The cleats are, as before noted, securcd to the boards A, B, C, 1), preferably flush with the ends thereof, though they may be set in from 1 the ends somewhat if desired. In such case i locking tenons and mortises; and flexible the distance must be uniform,=in order that connections 'uniting the boards. the cleats, and their ,mortises and tenons, 2. A knock-down box or receptacle commay aline perfectly. prising a series of boards flexibly connected 5 In practice it is found convenient to secure edge to edge and having their proximate to both the Wires E and the cleats F to the edges beveled or chamfered; and a series of boards by staples straddling the wires, and cleats secured to said boards, one near each passing through the boards and into the end of each board, each cleat having a morcleats, though this is not essential. Any tise a at one end and a tenon b at the other 10 convenient fastenings may be employed. end, and beveled or chamfered each side of 65 The end boards G are merely pieces of proper the mortise and terion, substantiallyas set dimensions, preferably of compound or veorth. V neer lumber, placed within the box and 3. Aknock-down box consisting ofaseries against the cleats before the cover section is of boards flexibly connected at their edges folded down, and the box completed by and having theirproxirnate edges chamfere'd, 70 twisting together or otherwise securing the 1 and a series of cleats secured to the'boards, free ends of the wires. They may, if desired, one near each end of each board, said cleats be additionally secured by light cleats 0, being formed of three-ply veneer board or arallel with but slightly removed from the compound lumber, the middle layer having cleats F, or in any other convenient mannert rectangular ends and the outer layers chain 75 The box being thus constructed is laid out fered or beveled at the same angle as the fiat for storage or shipment in empty condiboards, and the middle layer being flush with tion, the end boards being laid flat thereon one extremity of the outer layers but stopbetween the cleats F. When required for. ping short of the other extremity, whereby use, the end pieces are set against the cleats there is reduced a mortise a at one end and 80 of a side orbottom board, and the boards A, a tenon at the other end of each cleat.

B, C, are folded about the end pieces, the top 4. The herein described knock-down box, or cover board being left open to permit the comprising boards A, B, C, D, beveled along filling of the receptacle, after which it too is their longitudinal edgesfwires E secured to folded down to complete the structure, and and flexiblyconneeting said boards; cleats F 85 the wires are twisted together. The strucsecured to said boards and having their ends ture is cheap, light, strong, and convenient, beveled at like angle with the boards and i and the interlocking tenons and mortises preprovided res ectively with mortises a an elude any end play or shifting of the boards, tenons b; an heads or end boards G, all subwhich is a result of considerable importance stantially as described and shown. 90 in a structure of this character. 5. A knock-down box or receptacle com- The mitering of the edges of the boards prising a series of boards flexibly connected and of the cleats insures close, tight joints edge to edge; and a series of cleats s ecured to rendering the receptacle rigid, and practisaid boards, each cleat comprising three 40 eally dust and water-tight, thus effectually layers of veneer secured facewise, the outer 95 protecting the contents against injury though layers being beveled at both ends and the intransported in dusty or rainy weather. In termediate layer having rectangular ends, some cases the end boards may be omitted, one end extending to the extreme end of the p as where only a protecting covering is decleat where its protruding portion forms a sired, and the object shipped is of such char te non, and the other end sto ping short of 100 acter as to remain'in thereceptacle withouttlie-extremity of the cleat to cave, an open the use of heads or end boards. space or mortise.

Having thus described my invention, what In testimony whereof'l have signed my I claim is: v y r W p 7, name tothis specification in the presence of. 1. A knock-down box or receptacle'contwo subscribing witnesses.

sisting of a series of boards arranged edge .to g CHARLES MENGEL edge, said proximate edges being chamfered; I y cleats secured to the faces of said boards, one Witnesses: at each end, beveled to the same angle as the H. P; ROBERTS,

1 edges of-the boards and providedwith intcr- A. W. CORNWALL, Jr. 

